A bright, fresh, and delicious Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad that makes the perfect side dish or light meal. This dish is packed with fresh vegetables, and orzo pasta, and topped off with a homemade lemon-herb dressing for the perfect Greek-inspired salad.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
You'll love this Orzo Lemon Pasta Salad for its vibrant and refreshing flavors, combining the zesty tang of lemon with the delightful texture of orzo. The medley of fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs adds a burst of color and a satisfying crunch, making it a perfect side dish or light meal for any occasion just like my Crunchy Kale Parmesan Salad and my Cranberry Walnut Feta Salad.
I love to make this salad in the summer when I have fresh vegetables from my garden, but it's also easy to make any time of year with basic ingredients. If you have an abundance of summer vegetables, also check out my Veggie Garden Pesto Pizza and my Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup.
Key Ingredients Needed For This Recipe
Fresh Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes, red onion, green bell pepper, and cucumber all add delicious fresh flavors as well as vitamins, nutrients, and bright colors to this dish.
Greek Olives: Greek olives add a briny and savory element to the salad. They provide a rich flavor and pleasant saltiness.
Boxed Orzo Pasta: Orzo pasta is a small, rice-shaped pasta that is perfect for salads. It cooks quickly, has a smooth texture, and tastes wonderful cold.
Feta Cheese: Feta cheese adds a tangy and salty taste to the orzo pasta salad. It has a crumbly texture and enhances the overall Mediterranean flavor.
*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
If you haven't made or bought the dressing yet, make the lemon herb salad dressing. Clean and cut the cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, cucumber, and Greek olives.
Cook the orzo pasta according to the box instructions. Give the pasta a quick rinse with cold water and set it aside.
In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta and all of the prepared vegetables. Pour in ¼ cup of the dressing and stir to combine. Continue to add the dressing to taste.
Pour in the crumbled feta cheese and stir to combine. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour. Overnight is best to allow all of the flavors to blend together.
Expert Tips, Substitutions, and Variations
- Although I highly recommend making your own dressing, you can use store-bought dressing and save yourself a step. And if you don't want the lemon flavor, you can use red wine or balsamic vinegar, just add to taste in place of the lemon juice.
- If you don't have or like Greek olives, you can use black olives.
- Cherry tomatoes work so well in this salad because they are nice and sweet and the perfect size for slicing. But, you can also use any tomato and still have a delicious salad.
- Orzo pasta works well in this dish because of its size. The small pasta makes it possible to get more of the other flavors in each bite. However, you can also make this with other types of pasta like bowtie or elbow to name a few.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute orzo with other small pasta shapes like penne or fusilli if you don't have orzo on hand. However, orzo's unique shape and texture work exceptionally well in this salad.
Yes, lemon orzo pasta salad can be made ahead of time. It's best to prepare the salad components separately and keep them cold. Toss them together with the dressing just before serving to keep the flavors and textures fresh.
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for up to 2-3 days. If the salad becomes a bit dry after refrigeration, you can add a little more dressing or a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Absolutely! Lemon orzo pasta salad is versatile, and you can add a protein like grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas to make it a heartier and more satisfying meal.
If you get a chance to make this Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes in your inbox.
Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- plastic wrap or cover for the bowl
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce box orzo pasta, cooked
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium cucumber, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ pound greek olives, halved or quartered
- 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- lemon herb salad dressing
Instructions
- Cook the orzo pasta according to the box instructions. Give the pasta a quick rinse with cold water and set it aside to continue to cool while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Prepare the cherry tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, cucumber, and greek olives. Depending on the size of the tomatoes and olives, you can cut them in half or quarter them. You want everything to be similar in size and small enough to be able to get all of the goodies in one bite.
- If you haven't made or bought the dressing yet, make the lemon herb salad dressing.
- In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta and all of the prepared vegetables. Pour in ¼ cup of the dressing and stir to combine. Continue to add the dressing to taste.
- Pour in the crumbled feta cheese and stir to combine. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour. Overnight is best to allow all of the flavors to blend together.
Notes
- Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Although I highly recommend making your own dressing, you can use store-bought dressing and save yourself a step. And if you don't want the lemon flavor, you can use red wine or balsamic vinegar. Add to taste in place of the lemon juice.
- If you don't have or like greek olives, you can use black olives.
- Cherry tomatoes work so well in this salad because they are nice and sweet and the perfect size for slicing. But, you can also use any tomato and still have a delicious salad.
- Orzo pasta works well in this dish because of its size. The small pasta makes it possible to get more of the other flavors in each bite. However, you can also make this with other types of pasta like bowtie or elbow to name a few.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Shelby says
Loved the refreshing but light flavor on this! Such a great summer meal.
Emily says
Thanks, Shelby!
Crystal says
This is the perfect light lunch for summertime. And that lemon herb dressing is fantastic!
Emily says
Thanks, Crystal. I put that herb dressing on so many things. Thanks for trying it.
Michelle says
I made this with vegan feta (there are several brands now) and it was amazing!!
Emily says
So smart, thanks for sharing, Michelle.
Sue says
I'm going to a cookout this weekend and this salad will be going with me! It's a new favorite!
Emily says
I hope it's the hit of the party.😎
Judith says
Such a delicious salad! A wonderful combination of flavours 🙂
Brianna May says
Love this!
Sabrina says
My favourite flavours all together. Love that lemon 🙂
Emily says
Perfect! Thanks for checking this one out.
Elizabeth says
So delicious! We loved it!
nancy says
such a lovely and refreshing meal! i can eat this all week long!
Emily says
That's exactly it! You can eat this one for several meals! Thanks, Nancy.
Stine Mari says
This is so fresh and so comforting at the same time - brilliant!
Emily says
Thank you!!🥰
Natalie says
That was delicious. Perfect lunch!
Emily says
Awesome to hear!
Shilpa says
Love this refreshing pasta salad. It was perfect for our lunch.
Emily says
So glad to hear it. Thanks for the review!
Giangi Townsend says
Super easy and super delicious! Thank you for all the tips. My family love it
Emily says
So happy to hear it. Thanks for the review!